Evaluation and Improvement of a Dry Deposition Model using SO2 and O3 Measurements over a Mixed Forest

A dry deposition model (RDM) for operational application has beenevaluated and modified in the present study. Field measurements of friction velocity and dry deposition velocity of SO₂ andO₃ over a mixed forest have been used to evaluate RDM. It was found that RDM predicts friction velocities very close to measurements and thus it can predict reasonable aerodynamic resistance. RDM overestimated O₃ deposition during dry nighttime conditions and underestimated both O₃ andSO₂deposition for early morning hours. It could not predict the mean diurnal variation in deposition velocity for either O₃ or SO₂ deposition under wet surface conditions. Modifications have been made for O₃ and SO₂ dry deposition based on the comparison of results and based upon additional published data. Compared to an earlier version of RDM, the modified versionpredicts better results for O₃ and SO₂ dry deposition,especially under rain and dew conditions.     

Sex-specific reproductive behaviours and paternity in free-ranging Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus)

In a wide variety of species, male reproductive success is determined by contest for access to females. Among multi-male primate groups, however, factors in addition to male competitive ability may also influence paternity outcome, although their exact nature and force is still largely unclear. Here, we have investigated in a group of free-ranging Barbary macaques whether paternity is determined on the pre- or postcopulatory level and how male competitive ability and female direct mate choice during the female fertile phase are related to male reproductive success. Behavioural observations were combined with faecal hormone analysis for timing of the fertile phase (13 cycles, 8 females) and genetic paternity analysis (n = 12). During the fertile phase, complete monopolisation of females did not occur. Females were consorted for only 49% of observation time, and all females had ejaculatory copulations with several males. Thus, in all cases, paternity was determined on the postcopulatory level. More than 80% of infants were sired by high-ranking males, and this reproductive skew was related to both, male competitive ability and female direct mate choice as high-ranking males spent more time in consort with females than low-ranking males, and females solicited copulations mainly from dominant males. As most ejaculatory copulations were female-initiated, female direct mate choice appeared to have the highest impact on male reproductive success. However, female preference was not directly translated into paternity, as fathers were not preferred over non-fathers in terms of solicitation, consortship and mating behaviour. Collectively, our data show that in the Barbary macaque, both sexes significantly influence male mating success, but that sperm of several males generally compete within the female reproductive tract and that therefore paternity is determined by mechanisms operating at the postcopulatory level.     

Coastal hazards and community-coping methods in Bangladesh

Addressing one of the most vulnerable coastal communities in Bangladesh, this paper explores people’s perception and vulnerabilities to coastal hazards. At the same time, it investigates the methods that communities apply to cope with different coastal hazards. Findings revealed that people perceived an increase in both the intensity of hazards and their vulnerabilities. In spite of having a number of socio-economic and locational factors enhancing their vulnerabilities, the community is creating their own ways to cope with these hazards. For different aspects of life like shelter, employment, water supply, and health, communities apply different coping methods that vary with the types of hazard. Efforts have also been made by governments and NGOs to manage coastal hazards. By highlighting both community-coping methods and efforts of development organizations, this paper attempts to devise an integrated approach for managing the coastal hazards that occur in Bangladesh.     

Critical flow-storm approach to total maximum daily load (TMDL) development: an analytical conceptual model

One of the key challenges in the total maximum daily load (TMDL) development process is how to define the critical condition for a receiving waterbody. The main concern in using a continuous simulation approach is the absence of any guarantee that the most critical condition will be captured during the selected representative hydrologic period, given the scarcity of long-term continuous data. The objectives of this paper are to clearly address the critical condition in the TMDL development process and to compare continuous and event-based approaches in defining critical condition during TMDL development for a waterbody impacted by both point and nonpoint source pollution. A practical, event-based critical flow-storm (CFS) approach was developed to explicitly addresses the critical condition as a combination of a low stream flow and a storm event of a selected magnitude, both having certain frequencies of occurrence. This paper illustrated the CFS concept and provided its theoretical basis using a derived analytical conceptual model. The CFS approach clearly defined a critical condition, obtained reasonable results and could be considered as an alternative method in TMDL development.     

Sustainability and materiality: The bioregional and cultural challenges to evaluation

Concepts of sustainable development have stimulated innovation in the delivery of environmental management. In particular, new partnership approaches have been developed in recognition of the need to adopt more holistic perspectives and facilitate multi-sectoral and cross-sectoral working. River catchments are complex systems and have been one particular focus of experimentation in environmental management mechanisms. This paper provides a brief overview of river management experience in the UK, charting changing approaches in terms of scope and organisation since the 1970s. This sets the context for a more detailed examination of the Mersey Basin Campaign and, in particular, its River Valley Initiatives. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the merits of this approach in relation to sustainable river management.     

The Kinetics of Caesium absorption by roots of winter wheat and the possible consequences for the derivation of soil-to-plant transfer factors for radiocaesium

Caesium (Cs) uptake in roots of winter wheat was found to follow a dual pattern similar to that established for potassium uptake in barley roots. This suggests the operation of two discrete uptake systems for Cs, as for potassium. The ‘System 1’ (low concentration) uptake mechanism for caesium, however, can be resolved into two hyperbolic components which both obey Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The Michaelis-Menten equation was used to derive a function which describes the variation in solution-to-root transfer factor for any element for which the appropriate root uptake constants (K_m andV_max) can be determined. This function successfully described available data for root uptake of caesium and potassium, predicting that the solution-to-root transfer factor decreases in relation to an increase in the substrate concentration of each respective element. At substrate concentrations equivalent to carrier-free radiocaesium concentrations, however, the solution-to-root transfer factor predicted by the function and by empirical data suggests that the relationship between root uptake and solution concentration of caesium is linear. These findings are discussed in relation to the comparative physiology of caesium and potassium uptake by plant roots and with respect to the application of the soil-to-plant transfer factor concept to radioecological studies.     

Increased germination of diverse crop-wild hybrid sunflower seeds.

Gene flow from crop fields to wild populations produces hybrids that often differ from their wild counterparts in growth form, phenology, and life history characteristics. Germination and dormancy dynamics have a strong influence on population persistence, competitive dynamics, and ultimately, plant fitness. They may also play a role in modifying crop gene introgression, which has been of primary interest since the release of transgenic crops. We investigated how seed germination and dormancy were affected by sunflower crop wild hybridization in both laboratory and field experiments. Hybridization increased seed germination and decreased dormancy. Of the nine wild populations we assayed, most of their hybrids had higher germination than the wilds of the same population. However, absolute germination levels varied by population and testing environment. Hybrids produced by three different crop lines differed in germination, and their germination rankings shifted across populations. Increased germination in hybrids could accelerate crop gene introgression, provided that hybrids germinate in an appropriate period. Differences in relative germination of wild and hybrid seed indicated that the effect of germination on introgression will likely vary by population due, in part, to initial levels of dormancy in the population. Therefore, the implications of gene flow from crops with novel characteristics or from transgenic crops will also vary by population.     

Critical flow-storm approach to total maximum daily load(TMDL) development: an analytical conceptual model

One of the key challenges in the total maximum daily load (TMDL) development process is how to define the critical condition for a receiving waterbody. The main concern in using a continuous simulation approach is the absence of any guarantee that the most critical condition will be captured during the selected representative hydrologic period, given the scarcity of long-term continuous data. The objectives of this paper are to clearly address the critical condition in the TMDL development process and to compare continuous and event-based approaches in defining critical condition during TMDL development for a waterbody impacted by both point and nonpoint source pollution. A practical, event-based critical flow-storm (CFS) approach was developed to explicitly addresses the critical condition as a combination of a low stream flow and a storm event of a selected magnitude, both having certain frequencies of occurrence. This paper illustrated the CFS concept and provided its theoretical basis using a derived analytical conceptual model. The CFS approach clearly defined a critical condition, obtained reasonable results and could be considered as an alternative method in TMDL development.     

Field test of best management practice pollutant removal efficiencies in Shenzhen, China

This paper presents a study on the use of best management practices (BMPs) for controlling nonpoint pollution in the Xikeng Reservoir watershed located in Shenzhen, China. A BMP treatment train design, including a pond, a wetland, and a buffer strip placed in series was implemented at the reservoir location. A separate grass swale was also constructed at the site. Low impact development (LID) BMPs, namely a planter box and bioboxes, were used at the parking lot of the reservoir’s Administration Building. Samples were collected during storm events and were analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N), and total phosphorus (TP). The removal efficiencies of both BMP systems were evaluated using the Efficiency Ratio (ER) method based on the event mean concentration (EMC) data. In summary, the pond/wetland treatment train removed 70%–90% of TSS, 20%–50% of BOD₅, and 30%–70% of TP and NH₃-N. The swale removed 50%–90% of TSS, 30%–55% of BOD₅, − 10%–35% of NH₃-N, and 25%–70% of TP. For the planter box and biobox, the ranges of removal rates were 70%–90%, 20%–50%, and 30%–70% for TSS, BOD₅, and ammonia and phosphorus, respectively.